My clam released it's footing from DIY holder.

I've had my clam in the same spot, same holder for 5-6 months now. Mantel always fully open. But today it decided to release itself form the holder. Scared the heck out of me to look an see it laying on it's side. So I righted it and placed it once again on the holder. But I did look under it and saw nothing of it's foot. Can they retract them? Do I need to be concerned? It looks ok and the mantel is open. I don't see anything that would be irritating it.
Nothing has changed with my tank. Aside form me feeding more frozen food types. Parameters are all good. Same flow. Lighting still the same.

Tridacna clams actually have a gland at the bass the produces threads. The threads are used to anchor the clam to a solid surface. They can/will shed these from time to time. So long as the internal gland is not damaged the clam will be fine.

Some Clams release their Byssal Threads naturally when they get larger, or if unhappy with their current environment. A few thoughts,

Crocea are found in shallow water and are the most light demanding of all Clams (at least those kept is aquariums.) What is your lighting and when were bulbs last changed? It's possible that your clam was marginally happy with newer bulbs, but as they aged there was no longer sufficient PAR.

Crocea are "boring" clams in that they excrete a weak acid which dissolves the calcium carbonate they reside on. I'm not sure what your DIY holder is comprised of, but perhaps your clam simply doesn't like it as it's unable to burrow into it.

I recall reading a study some years back that basically determined that it's not possible to photo-inhibit a clam. Once properly acclimated, they will take all the light you can provide and still want more. James Fatherree wrote a great article on Crocea Clams that you might find helpful.

Good luck!

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. - George Bernard Shaw

Replaced all bulbs in February. All ATI t5ho. Aquablue special 12k~Coral plus (Max Par) and 2x blue plus. It's 11 measured inches from the lights. Lights run for 8-10hrs a day. The DIY holder is made out of EPO-Putty. I did read though that their mantels will fully open in order to acquire more light, so now I'm feeling bad. I'll work on removing the holder. Not sure where I'll put the clam though

Go to the LFS and buy an empty half-shell of a Tridacna they croaked under their care. That's what I did with my newest clam (see below). Except I used a half-shell from a crocea I killed back in the 90's (when most people knew nothing about clam husbandry and all specimens were wild-caught/harvested). If you don't have a nice depression in the LR that is appropriate (for the clams needs and aesthetics) then use EPO-putty to attached the half-shell to the LR.

I agree with Tom, pretty much anyone that has kept, or tried to keep Clams through the "dark ages" of reef aquaria have empty shells laying about.

What I do with new clams is to allow them to attach to a large frag disk. Thereafter, it's easy to move them wherever desired and you can affix the disk using Cyanocrylate or EPO if needed. The disks are made form Aragonite (Calcium Carbonate) same as your live rock so the the Crocea will be able to burrow into it if desired.

With your T5s, you'll want to place it as close to the top as possible.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. - George Bernard Shaw

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